N-Scale 560-Foot Geared Container Ship Model

[pmpexpress]

Needing an N-Scale container ship for the Intermodal terminal diorama that I’ve been working on for some time now, following in the footsteps of the late Peter Nolan, loosely based upon a prototype vessel and nearly complete after four long months of design work, my efforts have yielded a 42.15 inch (1070.62 mm) – 562 scale foot long by 7.45 inch (189.32 mm) – 100 ± scale foot wide geared feeder container ship model with a 485 (i.e., over the covered ship holds) 40’ container capacity.

Modular in design, if one wanted to model a typical three crane variation of this vessel, with the addition of two additional hold modules (i.e., one with a deck mounted crane and another without the crane) the model’s container capacity would rise to 705 40’ containers and its length would increase to 57.05 inches (1449.07 mm) or 760 ± scale feet.

Although the details on the production models might differ a bit from the renderings that have been included with this post, with proof of concept component test printing presently underway, I’m tentatively planning on producing kits for this model early next year.

Should there be enough demand for various N and Z Scale merchant ship models, additional kits will be designed and added.

[samusi01]

Well done.

What modeling program? And you mention printing - what printer?

[basementcalling]

I like it. My in planning N scale port layout will need one. That hull looks like a lot of 3d printer time.

How about dockside cranes to unload it, or bulk cargo ships too? A Leibher or Gottwald would be a nice complement.

[pmpexpress]

Well done.

What modeling program? And you mention printing - what printer?

Thanks

Tinkercad

Unless I can find someone who can produce some of the smaller detail parts on a resin printer, Bambu Lab X1C with AMS, Snapmaker U1, and Elegoo Centuri Carbon FDM printers.

[pmpexpress]

I like it. My in planning N scale port layout will need one. That hull looks like a lot of 3d printer time.

How about dockside cranes to unload it, or bulk cargo ships too? A Leibher or Gottwald would be a nice complement.

Many hours of 3D print time using several printers.

Also needed for my planned Intermodal/Grain terminal diorama, a bulk cargo ship, a smaller container ship, a modern SMIT tugboat, and a Panamax dockside container crane are already in my future plans.

[basementcalling]

Many hours of 3D print time using several printers.

Also needed for my planned Intermodal/Grain terminal diorama, a bulk cargo ship, a smaller container ship, a modern SMIT tugboat, and a Panamax dockside container crane are already in my future plans.

I like how you think.

[MetroRedLine]

That's A LOT of JTC containers to buy to fill that bad boy up. 

[pmpexpress]

That's A LOT of JTC containers to buy to fill that bad boy up. 

All kidding aside, I've already taken the issue of purchasing thousands of dollars worth of containers into account.

The previously mentioned Bambu Lab X1C is a single head FDM printer that can print up to sixteen colors when four AMS (Automatic Material System) units are attached to it.

While there is no AMS currently available for it, the recently crowd funded Snapmaker U1 is a four head FDM printer that can print up to four colors per job.

Using the aforementioned printers, stacks of containers with a mix of colors can be printed to completely fill a ship's deck covers, or printed without the outermost containers so that factory made and decorated containers can be placed on the port and starboard sides of each stack.

As the ends of the innermost containers will barely be visible, there's no point in using fully decorated containers to fill the stack centers.

Printing container stacks will also facilitate there use on land (i.e., having already been offloaded from ships, container trailers, and/or railroad well cars, or waiting to be loaded onto ships, container trailers, and/or railroad well cars).

[mu26aeh]

Filling out a container ship or container yard is a good reason to use DigCom Designs container stacks. 

[John]

Filling out a container ship or container yard is a good reason to use DigCom Designs container stacks.

Agree.   They are very good for static yard fillers

[nkalanaga]

Print just the ends of the stacks, and use sheet plastic for the sides, top, and bottom of the "box".  Since all that's visible are the ends, there's no need to paint the individual container tops or sides.

[pmpexpress]

Print just the ends of the stacks, and use sheet plastic for the sides, top, and bottom of the "box".  Since all that's visible are the ends, there's no need to paint the individual container tops or sides.

While I had considered doing what you suggested as it would require far less time to print, not really sure how well this configuration would go over with end users.

[pmpexpress]

Asked if a slightly smaller model could be produced, while the stairways from the stern module to the deck will need to be replaced with ladders, shortening the bow length and creating new hold modules allowed me to reduce the length of the vessel to 38.62 inches (980.85 mm) – 515 ± Scale Feet and reduce the container capacity over the covered ship holds to 430 40' containers.

Is this new variation better suited for use on N-Scale layouts and modules?

[basementcalling]

The 38 incher would work well with my idea of my container dock on a diagonal end of a 36" wide peninsula. If it ends in a 36x18 right triange, the diagonal would be 40 inches long. Perfecto fit.

[pmpexpress]

The 38 incher would work well with my idea of my container dock on a diagonal end of a 36" wide peninsula. If it ends in a 36x18 right triange, the diagonal would be 40 inches long. Perfecto fit.

The fringe benefit of the smaller vessel is that it's a bit more symmetrical, which gives it a slightly better visual appearance.

In order to reduce the container capacity a bit more, I'm contemplating a second model with side mounted rather than mid mounted cranes.